Trunk.



a WWW/am 7 M. e. GRIFFIN.

TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1913.

1,101,126. Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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M. G. GRIFFIN.

TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

MICI-IAEL G.

GRIFFIN, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MENDEL-DBUCKER COMPANY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, A OOBPQB ATION OE OHIO.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 12914.

Application filed September 26, 1913. Serial No. 792,052.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, MICHAEL G. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and 1mproved Trunk, of which the following specilication is a full disclosure.

My invention relates to trunks and primarily to the convertibility of one of its compartments from a tray occupying a position within the trunk to a wardrobe occupying a position exterior of the trunk.

An object of my invention is to provide a trunk preferably of steamer type with a wardrobe section connected to one end wall of the trunk by hinge mechanism which supports the section in a horizontal suspended position within the trunk and capable of being swung outwardly over the end wall to a vertical position exterior of the trunk beyond the line of the body and above the floor or body base.

Another object of my invention relates to the construction of the hinge adapted for a preferable use in connection with the trunk, whereby it may support a section or compartment interior and exterior of the trunk, its members foldable compactly against the trunk walls in one position and forming a knee or bracket projecting from the wall in a second position.

Other objects 'of my invention will be in part obvious from the description of the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred form, and in such drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the trunk in its closed position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the trunk showing the tray and cover in mutilated form and in their open position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating only one end of the trunk. Fig. 4: is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the tray in its vertical position with the cover of the trunk closed. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, taken on a different line, to illustrate the locking mechanism for maintaining the tray section in its vertical position.

The trunk is preferably of a steamer wardrobe type in which a section is capable of occupying a horizontal position within the trunk or casing and adapted to be swung to a vertical position exterior and beyond the body line of the trunk to enable the cover to be closed. The wardrobe section swings upwardly from its interior trunk position over an end wall to a vertical position, and is rigidly supported upon such end wall. This enables the provision of a rigid end wall and a wardrobe section hingedly applied to a substantially standard form of trunk casing, leaving the casing substantially intact to in no wise interfere with the ordinary uses and capacity of the trunk. When the wardrobe section is in the open position and the cover is closed, a seal is efiected substantially the same as when the wardrobe section occupies its position within the trunk.

1 represents the body of the trunk, having a cover 2 hinged to the rear wall thereof in the usual manner. The trunk may be of any style or type with the body divided into compartments or adapted to contain trays to meet the various demands. The end walls of the body are of rigid construction, with the wardrobe section 3 hingedly connected to one'end wall, and as illustrated to the right end wall 5. It is of tray form when it occupies a position within the body, so that the panel 6 becomes the base of the tray, lying in a horizontal position within the trunk and the rear walls of the wardrobe section when in its vertical position exterior of the trunk or body.

The hinge mechanism for swingingly mounting the wardrobe section is connected to end wall or panel 7 and to the end wall 5 of the body, with the panel 7 serving as a base when the wardrobe section occupies its vertical position exterior of the body.

The hinge mechanism is of such form and construction as will enable the wardrobe section to assume a depended position within the body, to bring the base member 6 below the upper edges of the walls of the body, although it is obvious that the wardrobe section base could be supported at an elevation substantially flush with the edges of the body walls, which would either require a less depth of tray or increased depth of cover if the capacity of the wardrobe section is not decreased. The preferred form, however, is such as illustrated, in which the Wardrobe section extends partially within the body and partially into the cover. This requires a sliding connection between the hinge members of the end wall and wardrobe section, to provide a vertical move-. ment of the wardrobe section upwardly to swing the same out of the body and over the; end wall. This is positively accomplished. by :the preferred type of hinging mechanism and the action required for swinging the wardrobe section from one position to a second is substantially the same as that required for swinging an ordinary door supported by two-leaf hinge.

The preferred form of hinge mechanism iscomprised'in a four leaf or panel'hinge, with the leaf-or panel 8 secured to theeX- terior of the body-wall 5 1 hingedly connected to the hinge member 9 with thewconnection oficommon eye and'pin form. The hinge memberQ may be termed anofi-set hinge member, so as toenable a portion'thereot in one of its positions to extend exterior of the trunk body wall '5, with the remainder interior of the trunk body, or as illustrated, into the cover so as to form a permanent union between the "exterior =and interior hinge members. 'The offset portionlorcorresponds to the thickness of the end wall. The hinge member 9 is hingedly Y connected to a member 11 rigidly securedto thepanel 7 of the wardrobe section, and is inedially provided with a longitudinal depression 12 to form or provide a slide-way for the head of tlieTextension 13 of the pivot pin 14. This slidably and 'hingedly connects the hinge member 11 ato the -hinge:mernloer 15. The hinge member 15 is :rigidly secured to the interior of thebody wall 5. The hinge member 1 1 is longitudinally slotted with theT-extension of the pivot pin projecting through the slot. 'This provides a nonseparable connection between the hinge members 11 and l5 and enables the meniber 11 to have a compound action, that of slidingiand swinging.

The -hinge member 9 serves a twofold purpose, that of lever and brace, so as to positively slide the WELICllObG section from a depended position within the body to its vertical position exterior and beyond the body. One end of the hinge member :11 projects across the edge of the-wall 5 and may be supported thereon to carry the weightof the wardrobesection to relieve the pivot pin 'otsuch strain, while its opposite end is supported by the hinge :member 9 acting as a brace and angularly extended between :the ends of the hinged members 8 and 11. the pivot-pin 1'41. serves also to resist upward movement of the hinge member 11 when it occupies its position exterior of the trunk body, whereby the wardrobe section is rigidly supported above the base or fioor'line ofthetrunkwith its panel 7 at right angles to the wall 5 and at an The head of the T-extension ofwhich they are connected,sothatithe trunk 1 can be readily converted from one type-to a-second.

The panel 7 of the wardrobe section may be omitted, leaving an open end, so that if required the suspended garments could project beyond the wardrobe section in an unfolded condition. Therefore, for the purposes herein, it may be regarded that the hingemember 'or members 11 are secured to the wardrobe section although specific-ally referred to as securedto the panel 7.

51 have provided :mean-s lfor locking the wardrobe section in its open position comprising a latch plate 16 slidably mounted within the guide plate v17 -secured to the exterior surfaceo'f th'epanel 6. Thelatch plate is angularlyrbentiat one endgto .project toward and engage with "the wall 5. The :upper edge of the wall may be offset and reinforced by a metal .clip or :binder 18, as illustrated. The latch plate 16 is provided with anactua'ting rod 19 slidably secured 'to the panel 6, which unay be 'regarded as an extension to the slatch plate to bring it to:azmoreconvenient position for the operator. The l atclvplate as illustrated is adapted to drop into its iloclring position by gravity when moving the wardrobesectionto its vertical position, and is released manually iby pulling the same upwardly. l t is obvious that various unechanisms "may be employed for locking :the wardrobe :section as indicated.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the free end of the wardrobe section restsmpon the bracket plateQOsecuredto the end wall'of the'trunk body when the -WfllCl1Ob8r'S6ClllOIl occupies its horizontal position within the :trunk, the hinge 'or hin'ges supporting the: opposite rend.

'Havin'g. desoribed'my invention, I claim' 1. A trunkcomprisingacasing, a closure for the top thereof, a wardrobesection, and a hinged structure unitarily 'combiningsaid wardrobe section with zone 'side (if the casing, having an element :thereof rigidly secured to the casing, and a second rigidly to :the wardrobe section :and .slidable upon said casing wall, and an element hingedly connecting said first and second velements, whereby said wardrobe section may occupy aihorizontal. suspended position within the IlID rrs

trunk, and a vertical position exterior and beyond the casing,

2. A trunk comprising a casing, a member adapted to be supported in a horizontal position within the casing, and in a vertical position beyond the casing, and a four-leaf hinge structure unitarily connecting said casing and member for supporting said member, in the aforesaid positions.

3. A trunk comprising a casing, a foldable member having hinge extremities respectively rigidly secured upon the interior and exterior of a casing wall, and a member secured to said foldable member intermediate of the hinge extremities for supporting the same in a horizontal position within the casing and in a vertical position exteriorly beyond the casin 4:. In a trunk the combination of a casing and cover therefor, a wardrobe section, a hinge connecting said casing and wardrobe section comprising four members hingedly united in progressive series, one member being fixed to the exterior of one end wall of the casing, a second to the wardrobe section, a third uniting said first and second members, and a fourth fixed to the interior of said casing wall with the second member hingedly and slidably connected to said fourth member, whereby the said wardrobe section may be swung from the horizontal position within the trunk to a vertical position over said casing wall exterior and beyond the same.

5. A trunk comprising a casing, a foldable member hingedly secured to the exterior of a casing wall, and hingedly and slidably to the upper edge of said wall, and a member secured to said foldable member intermediate of the casing wall connections for hingedly mounting said member to support the same in a horizontal position within the casing and in a vertical position exteriorly beyond the casing.

6. In a trunk the combination of a casing and cover therefor, a wardrobe section, a hinge connecting said casing and wardrobe section comprising four members hingedly united in progressive series, one member being fixed to the exterior of one end wall of the casing, a second to the wardrobe section, a third uniting said first and second members, and a fourth fixed to the interior of said casing wall with the second member hingedly and slidably connected to said fourth member, whereby the said wardrobe section may be swung from the horizontal position within the trunk to a vertical position over said casing wall exterior and beyond the same, and means for locking said wardrobe section in its vertical position.

7. In a wardrobe trunk, a casing, a cover therefor, a wardrobe section and a four-leaf hinge connecting said wardrobe section to one end wall, its members compactly foldable against said wall in one position of the wardrobe section and providing a knee bracket projecting from said wall in a second position of said wardrobe section, whereby said wardrobe section may occupy the horizontal suspended position within the trunk and a vertical position exterior and beyond the trunk.

8. In a wardrobe trunk, a casing, a cover therefor, a wardrobe section and a four-leaf hinge connecting said wardrobe section to one end wall, its members compactly foldable against said wall in one position of the wardrobe section and providing a knee bracket projecting from said wall in a second position of said wardrobe section, whereby said wardrobe section may occupy the horizontal suspended position within the trunk and a vertical position exterior and beyond the trunk, and means for locking said wardrobe section in its vertical position.

9. In a wardrobe trunk, a casing, a cover therefor, a. wardrobe section, a hinge connecting said wardrobe section to an end wall of the casing comprised of a plurality of members hingedly united in series, one end member connected to the interior of said wall, a second end member to the exterior of the wall, a third member to the casin said first end member and third member connected together by a pivot pin having a T-extension projecting through a slot in said third member to provide a pivotal and sliding connection between said members, whereby the third mem- 100 ber may be moved to a vertical position within the trunk to suspend the base of the wardrobe section below the edge of the wall in one position and project horizontally from the wall in a second position.

10. A trunk comprising a casing, a foldable member hingedly secured to the exterior of a casing wall, and hingedly and slidably to the upper edge of said wall, and a member secured to said foldable member 110 intermediate of the casing wall connections for hingedly mounting said member to support the same in a horizontal position within the casing and in a vertical position exteriorly beyond the casing, and means for 115 locking said member in its vertical position.

11. A trunk comprising a casing, a foldable member pivotally secured respectively at different elevations upon the interior and exterior of a casing wall, and a member se- 120 cured to said foldable member intermediate of said casing wall connections, capable of being supported in a horizontal position within the casing, and in a vertical position exteriorly beyond the casing.

12. A trunk combining a casing, a trunk accessory and a foldable member having two members hingedly united and each respectively pivoted at different elevations to a wall of said casing for supporting the trunk 130 the casingend vertically exteriorly vbeyond the casing.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto'subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing Witnesses.

MICHAEL Gr. GRIFFIN.

Witnesses EMMA Srn-NER, LOUISE A. BECK. l

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